


Drag My Teeth Across Your Chest to Taste Your Beating Heart

by Raayner



Series: The Stars Shine Bright For Us In The Dark [1]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Angst, Fluff and Angst, Implied Relationships, M/M, Monster!AU, also btob later, but seriously there's a lot of, just not in this arc, the real relationships are coming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-05
Updated: 2015-11-24
Packaged: 2018-04-07 18:45:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4274001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raayner/pseuds/Raayner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A freshly Bitten werewolf is thrown out into the world with only the clothes on his back and the collar which marks him as a potentially dangerous monster to the humans that he used to be like. </p><p>The first in a series about monsters and their lives together as they try to make it in a magical, but prejudiced, world. </p><p>Title from Florence and the Machine - Howl</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My lovely datefriend got me into kpop and now I'm neck-deep in it and I'm writing this fic.
> 
> This is basically just taking a world I enjoy and plopping VIXX into it.
> 
> I will attempt to update regularly but I am a busy human who may be too tired to write some days.
> 
> Hope you enjoy! Comments are always appreciated and if you see any spelling mistakes please feel free to point them out to me!

When Sanghyuk awoke, it was to pain and the knowledge that something had gone very, very, incredibly wrong.

His friends had suggested it, a special ‘adventure’ into the Forest. They’d bring the drinks and would set up close enough to the edge to be safe, but far enough in so the element of danger wasn’t lost. And, since they were still in school, if they were caught they wouldn’t be arrested. It would be a fun way to end the school year.

They hadn’t thought about just how close to full the moon was.

Sanghyuk remembers laughter, the tingle of alcohol running through his system, and then the howling had started. He doesn’t really remember what happened after that.

Which was probably for the best, since this wasn’t Sanghyuk’s bedroom. The unfamiliar ceiling stared down at him as he blinked up at it.

_Shit._

“Shit,” he rasped, followed by a cough as he struggled to a sitting position.

He was in a small, square room.

He wasn’t wearing clothes.

He was naked, in an empty room, and there was _blood_ on the walls.

Sanghyuk tried to swallow, gasping, as the scent of his ( _it had to be his no one else was there and his hands were stained red_ ) blood filled his nose. He gagged, then turned and emptied his stomach in the corner of the bloody room.

This was a Room. A Moon Room. The room they put new or unstable werewolves in so they didn’t go on a killing spree once a month. He was in a Room.

His stomach heaved again but it was empty, the bile burning his nose. Thankfully ( _thankfully_ ), that was all that was in his stomach; he hadn’t eaten anyone.

The realization of what had happened to him was starting to dawn on Sanghyuk, a cold feeling of dread washing over him.

He had been Bitten that night. That night when the moon had been far too round for humans to be out, especially humans that had been stupid enough to purposefully go into the Forest.

He had been Bitten.

Sanghyuk was a werewolf.

His eyes stung with tears and he trembled. Looking down at his shivering fingers he could see his nails begin to sharpen and elongate, turning into claws. His jaw ached as his teeth changed from blunt, human teeth to sharp, predator teeth. He had to get a hold of himself; they’d never let him out if he couldn’t control this.

He focused on his breathing, regulating it, and the tears never fell from his eyes.

Slowly, agonizingly, Sanghyuk returned to normal.

* * *

 

He wasn’t entirely sure how much time had passed, but he thought it had been about a day.

Sanghyuk had had a few more emotional crises and with those the terrifying half-shift of a werewolf, but he had done his breathing and had managed to pull himself back from full on panic.

They were watching him, he hoped. Then they could see how well he was doing controlling himself and they would let him out of the room with the blood. He wanted to go home. It didn’t smell like blood there.

As if answering his prayers, a slot along the bottom of the door slid open and a bundle of clothes were shoved through.

“Han Sanghyuk,” a tinny voice filtered through what Sanghyuk thought was a speaker on the ceiling, “please put those clothes on and then stand with your hands placed firmly on the back wall.”

He didn’t see any reason to argue with the voice; he just wanted to leave, hug his parents, and sleep.

The clothes were rough, stained cotton, ripped along the sleeves and legs. Sanghyuk tried not to think about who might have worn them last. He quickly put them on and then assumed the position against the wall. Immediately, the door opened and two figures stepped in, the third remaining in the door way.

“Han Sanghyuk. We will escort you to Processing. Do not resist or you will be harmed.”

Sanghyuk nodded mutely, allowing the two workers to take hold of his arms and lead him away from the Room.

As they walked down the hallway, all he could see were identical doors to Rooms he assumed were just like his; bloody, lonely, and cold. He could hear sounds from within some of them. He tried not to dwell on those voices.

Processing seemed very much like what being admitted to jail would be like. Sanghyuk supposed it kind of was. He was fingerprinted, photographed, had blood drawn, iris’ scanned, weighed, and measured. There was a woman who watched all of it with cold, calculating eyes, her hand resting permanently on the gun on her hip. A gun, Sanghyuk was sure, that was full of silver bullets.

At the end of the Processing he was handed a freshly washed pile of clothes and a large envelope. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the clothes were his, but not the ones he had been wearing when he and his friends had gone out.

Thankfully, he was given some privacy, so he shrugged, putting down the envelope to tug off his ragged outfit and into his familiar jeans and shirt. Even his favourite underwear were there.

After changing, Sanghyuk focused his attention on the envelope, which turned out to contain his cellphone, wallet, a piece of paper with a number on it, and a letter.

“ _Han Sanghyuk,_

_following your admittance to this facility we contacted your next-of-kin to inform them of your Bite._

_Being Bitten is a big change and your next-of-kin have decided that this change is not something that they wish to deal with. They have packed your belongings and are available for pick-up with the slip in with your effects._

_Your next-of-kin wish that you do not try to contact them in any way or they will be forced to take action against you, up to, and including, re-admittance to this facility for their safety._ ”

Sanghyuk stared at the letter. The thin piece of paper that told him he wasn’t welcome home. Ever again.

He wanted to cry.

Instead, he let the letter slip from his fingers and float to the ground, collected his things, and left to find his belongings.

* * *

 

The man at the window seemed utterly disinterested in what was happening in front of him, but he handed Sanghyuk his bag without a word and that was as good as he could ask for right now.

The bag contained all of Sanghyuk’s clothes (a pitifully small amount) and his shoes. This wasn’t all of his things, but he could never ask his family for the rest of it back or they would phone the dog catchers and have him admitted as a ‘Dangerous Lycan’. Sanghyuk huffed out a laugh. It was either that or break down into tears.

He wanted to leave but he had nowhere to go now. Plus, the facility wasn’t finished with him yet.

Apparently compiling all the information they had gotten from him in Processing took a while, so he sat on the uncomfortable bench in the waiting room, gaze empty as he took in the ugly pattern of the carpet.

He was still trying to figure out whether a certain brown spot was part of the pattern or an old blood stain, when his name was called.

The doctor that met with him in the other room was... nice. Nicer than everyone in the facility by far. She took time explaining the rules to him, speaking softly and asking him if he understood this part or that part.

It was pretty simple: he was under probation for the next three full moons. He had to come back to the facility for the next three full moons to prove that he was responsible and had not gone Moon Mad. After that he had another six full moons where he had to find his own place for the change or come back to the facility and fill out the necessary forms for use of a Moon Room. Then it was yearly check-ins with the officer (dog catcher) to ensure he was still safe to live in society. Yearly check-ins every year for the rest of his life.

Sanghyuk smiled bitterly at that thought.

The doctor saw and reached out a hand that she placed gently on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry Sanghyuk,” she patted him, trying to be reassuring, “I know you didn’t ask for this but that’s how it has to be. They’ll put you down otherwise.”

He didn’t say anything to that.

She sighed and gave him one last pat before turning to the coiled piece of leather on the counter.

“This is the final thing before you can leave.”

The collar looked like a noose in her hands.

Sanghyuk swallowed and nodded, allowing her to place the collar on him.

The lock clicked shut, loud in the office. This was it, the thing he would have to carry every day of his life, branding him as different, as dangerous to all the humans out in the world.

As the doctor stepped back, he gingerly touched the leather around his neck, feeling the spellwork tingle along the silver innards. If he tried to forcibly remove it, the silver and the magic would kill him.

Sanghyuk choked back a sob and dropped his hand.

“Sanghyuk I,” the doctor paused, searching for words, “I heard that your family has," she paused to clear her throat, "decided to not bother. Would you,” he looked up at her, “Sanghyuk, do you need someone to help you with this change?”

He didn’t know. Did he want help? Lord knows he probably should. He didn’t know anything about being a monster, what rules he had to follow. He didn’t want this, he didn’t, but he had to learn how to deal now, didn’t he?

“Uh,” he coughed, wiping the tears from his eyes, “that would - that would be really great, yeah.”

She smiled at him. She turned and after fussing around for something to write on she wrote a name and what Sanghyuk was pretty sure was an address.

“He doesn’t give away his phone number,” she explained, handing Sanghyuk the paper, “I think it’s because of his roommates, but he’s always been helpful with the new ones and asks me if he can help.”

She tapped the paper in his hands.

“He’ll be resting after this full moon, so he’ll be home. Are you going to see him today? You should. I’ll let him know to expect you.”

And with that, Sanghyuk was ushered out the door and into the world; a fresh werewolf with only his bag of clothes and a stranger he had been told to trust.

He looked at the paper, at the name and the address, and decided fuck it, since he had already hit bottom, what would it hurt?

“Kim Wonshik,” Sanghyuk said, “here I come.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanghyuk should have thought this through more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the way things have been going, I feel like I can do a chapter a week? No promises, since work is going to be extra busy this next month but I'm going to try!
> 
> small TW for nonconsensual drugging

Sanghyuk should have thought this through more.

He had been all ready to go to this Wonshik and ask for his help, but he got onto the packed streets and realized he had no idea where he was going. Asking for directions had gone poorly too.

When Sanghyuk had been human he had never noticed just how much he, and everyone else, had gone out of their way to avoid interacting with monsters. He stood on a corner, address in his hands, and looked pleadingly at everyone that passed him. Some people had looked like they would help him, but as soon as their eyes fell on his collar their faces had twisted in disgust and they had ignored him.

It was really disheartening.

Had Sanghyuk really been like them, constantly wary and on the look out for signs that someone wasn’t human, finding one, and immediately shying away from the danger?Sanghyuk wasn’t dangerous. He wanted to scream that to all of them; he was safe, he was just like them. Except that would be a lie now, wouldn’t it?

Being ignored was hard, but it was the people that took to noticing him now that made him want to run for the hills.

They were the ones that called him “dog”, the ones that complained loudly to others about “the stray that the dog catchers needed to come get”. The children that stared up at him with wide eyes as their mothers pulled them away in fear. The monsters that smiled at him, pitying, as they continued on their way. The ones that humans trusted, the ones not labelled ‘dangerous’.

Sprites, Satyrs, and Witches to name a few. Sprites and Satyrs were odd, but not a threat so humans tolerated them. Witches could be dangerous, but they were human in the ways that counted, so no one spared them a second glance.

Every one of them passed by Sanghyuk, too caught up in their lives to care about the lost little Lycan on the corner. He felt sick again.

Jerkily, he made his way to the closest alley. He was almost in an away from the crowd when he was roughly kicked from behind. He stumbled, and fell, scraping his palms on the rough concrete. He heard loud laughter, presumably from the asshole that had kicked him, fade away as they continued walking.

His stomach heaved, empty but unable to stop the motion. Sanghyuk stayed in that position for a while, bloody hands flat on the pavement and stomach clenching painfully. His palms tingled.

“Wow,” the sudden voice sounded bored, “you’re real fresh, aren’t you?”

Sanghyuk flipped around in surprise, pressing his back to the dirty alley wall defensively as the owner of the voice watched him with an eyebrow cocked.

He was utterly still, the only movement the breeze against his loose jacket. His eyes were dark but shone with light that Sanghyuk vaguely registered as magical. The stranger grinned down at him, lips stretched wide to reveal the subtle point of fangs poking out just enough from the rest of his teeth to not be human.

 _Vampire_ , Sanghyuk’s mind supplied dumbly.

His human side said run, to get away from the monster before him as anyone would. However, within him, a new instinct stirred; an instinct born from the wolf that now sat inside his heart.

A growl slipped from between his sharpening teeth.

“Chill, Fido,” the vampire help up his hands, the movement fast and clearly inhuman, “just smelt the blood and thought I’d see what was up. Didn’t think I’d meet such a cute puppy, though.”

The way he said that last bit made Sanghyuk shiver. He forced his jaws to move.

“I’m not cute.”

That startled a laugh out of the vampire.

“Oh puppy,” he sighed, “what is a fresh thing like you doing out-and-about in the big city?”

Sanghyuk really just wanted to leave, but he still had no idea where he was going. Maybe, just maybe, this monster would help him. He swallowed down the growl that wanted to escape him and will his teeth back to blunt. His fingers stayed clawed, but it was better than trying to speak through a mouth full of knives.

“I’m looking for something - a street! Could you point me in the right direction?”

The vampire, who had been studying the sky, looked at him curiously.

“And what,” he purred, “would I get out of it, puppy?”

“Uh,” Sanghyuk faltered, “I’ll owe you a favour? But not like, in blood or anything.”

“Please, I do have standards.”

Sanghyuk was pretty sure he should have been insulted by that, but decided to let it go. He looked up at the vampire questioningly. It sighed.

“Fine, but only because I have a soft spot for cute puppies.”

“I’m not cute,” Sanghyuk mumbled, but got to his feet. He had looked at the address enough that he didn’t need to consult the paper, “I need to get to Pergul Avenue. In Nocte.”

“Looking for a new place fitting of your status, I see,” the vampire pointed back the way Sanghyuk had come, “you have to go a block that way, then go left up 4th Street. Keep going, you’ll hit Pergul ave in no time.”

Sanghyuk wasn’t sure how he had missed the sign for 4th Street but he had.

“Thank you,” he turned back to the vampire, who smiled at him before flitting away. He was confused until the clouds parted and a bright shaft of sunlight pierced the shadows of the alley. He hoped this favour didn’t come back to bite him in the ass.

* * *

 

In theory, Sanghyuk knew about the ghetto.

Monsters were technically allowed to live anywhere in the city, the only problem was finding someone who would rent to them. Sure, there were some monster and monster-friendly landlords, but they were not the majority. Most could be refused on the grounds that the monsters attempting to rent had no financial stability, and the law made it easy to refuse to someone that the landlord had suspicion would damage the property. In the end, most monsters had to live in the Nocte ghetto.

On the far North of the city, where the streets grew dense and the common West wind blew the scent of garbage in from the dump, was where it sat. Beginning at Nocte street and stretching up, the city slowly moving Northwards as the monster population grew.

Sanghyuk knew all this from studying history in school; seeing it for himself was very different.

The houses were mostly structurally intact, but small and clumped together to fit between the many streets. In upperclass human neighbourhoods, many streets meant long lots with extravagant houses. Here it meant many dull dwellings.

4th Street ran along the Eastern edge of the city, passing Nocte Street and continuing on until it reached a dead end still within the ghetto. Before this, however, was Pergul Avenue, a bustling business section for monsters to make their own money and buy much needed living supplies away from the glare of humans. The shops here were also home to a variety of magical shops. The city held a good amount of magical shops as well, but on Pergul Avenue, they were the best. Humans would brave the journey to the ghetto just to shop the magic stores there. Sanghyuk remembers the time a classmate of his had traveled all the way from the South side to get a luck charm because he hadn’t prepared for an exam. The charm had worked, a little too well, as a mediocre student had aced his exam with extra credit. The charm was discovered and confiscated.

The magic here was the real deal.

It was still early afternoon so the shops were bustling with people, monsters and humans alike. The contradiction between earlier in the city and here in the ghetto were very obvious; barely anyone spared Sanghyuk a glance, and if they did it was a shop owner trying to entice him with their wares. He was still wary of being around all the other monsters, but he wasn’t made to feel unwelcome as he had been with the humans.

The address led him to one of the three-level buildings on the street. Many of them had two or three of the floors set up as shops, the extra one converted to living spaces. The place where the man who could supposedly help Sanghyuk lived appeared to have two levels for living. Maybe he was a more well-off monster?

Sanghyuk tried the door to the shop and found it locked tightly. The interior was dark so he guessed it wasn’t open. He couldn’t tell what kind of shop it was, the shadows thick past the windows and the name gave no indication of the wares within.

 _What was_ VIXX _even supposed to mean?_

If this was the only way in he was screwed. Wonshik had to live in at least one of the places above the shop since this was the address. The question now was how Sanghyuk was going to get up there.

He took a step back, looking up at the covered windows, and thought about yelling for Wonshik, like some crude monster version of Romeo and Juliet.

That was probably not the best idea...

Sanghyuk huffed and decided he would have a look around the sides before he did anything drastic. He was lucky, finding a moldy set of stairs on the first side he checked. They led to a brightly painted door, the cheery blue seeming out of place next to the dull grey stone most of the buildings in the ghetto were made of.

The stairs barely made a sound under his feet as he climbed the short, but steep, distance to the door on the first floor; apparently the stairs weren’t as old as they seemed. He drew in a breath to prepare himself, his heart beating unusually fast, and his gaze fell on what he had initially thought to be cracks in the wood.

Someone had drawn five stick-figures on the door. There was a clear difference in the time they had been drawn, the first two the most faded, followed by a third, and then the final two. Except, the last one didn’t have legs but a long squiggle where legs should have been. Sanghyuk thought it was supposed to mean a spirit of some kind? Maybe they had a ghost.

It was pretty cute though.

Feeling comforted by the little doodle, he knocked.

“Coming,” came a muffled voice.

The door was pulled open by a man about Sanghyuk’s age. A handsome man. A handsome man in a loose hoodie, collar bones peaking out from underneath the cloth. He looked like he had been sleeping.

Sanghyuk’s mouth opened with the intent to speak, but words escaped him. Why was this guy so good looking? He cleared his throat and tried again.

“Kim Wonshik,” that was barely any better than no words at all. He tried again, “I’m looking for him?”

“Who’s asking,” the young man in front of him scowled and seemed to grow taller. And-

That was a tail.

That was a snake tail on the lower half of his body instead of legs; Sanghyuk suddenly understood the stick-figure a lot more now.

“No, I,” he raised his hands, taking a step back, “I was given this address by a doctor! A doctor at the LCF!”

The naga, for that was the creature that had opened the door, blinked in surprise, slowly sinking back down to a normal height. He gave Sanghyuk an assessing stare.

“The Lycan Control Facility? Why would,” his eyes took in the shiny leather of Sanghyuk’s collar, the newness of it, “oh. Oh! Yes, come in!”

He slithered back from the door, gesturing for Sanghyuk to follow. Sanghyuk took a deep breath and, thinking of the five little stick people, stepped inside.

* * *

 

“Wonshik’s sleeping right now, but I’ll go wake him up for you,” the naga told him as they entered what Sanghyuk could only describe as the cleanest living room he had ever seen, let alone been in. There was a rumpled blanket on the couch, which the naga promptly folded and draped over the armrest.

“Make yourself at home.”

Sanghyuk thought if he touched anything it would look too messy, but the snake-tailed monster was already disappearing through a door ( _a bedroom?_ ), so he might as well take a seat while he was waiting.

Hesitantly, he approached the couch, not wanting to sit where the blanket had been; he decided that perching on the far end would be acceptable.

It was a cute place, Sanghyuk noted. Despite how tidy it was, it gave off the distinct feel of a home, little touches that only stood out when you looked for them. For instance, across from where he sat was a tall bookshelf, absolutely stuffed full. He hadn’t seen the kitchen, but he was sure it was just as lived-in as the living room.

The first floor appeared to be the entrance, kitchen, living room, and one bedroom. A set of stairs sat above Sanghyuk, leading to the top floor. He wondered if there were more rooms up there; if two of the stick drawings were Wonshik and the naga, then that would mean three more people lived here. Even with two floors that didn’t leave a lot of room.

His musing was interrupted by a commotion from the bedroom. The door flew open and the naga returned, pulling a disgruntled man by the wrist. He was rubbing at his face tiredly, the collar around his neck worn from the years it had been on.

“What, Hongbin? You know how tired I get after -”

The man broke off when he noticed Sanghyuk, who had stood up at his arrival. He tugged his arm away from the naga and smiled.

“Hey, kid. The doc gave you my name,” Wonshik took a step forward, “yeah?”

“Yeah - yes! You’re. You are Wonshik?”

“The one and only,” the naga, Hongbin, snorted. Wonshik frowned at him, “what?”

“Nothing. You could have mentioned we were going to have a guest.”

Wonshik opened his mouth to reply, but Sanghyuk beat him to it.

“Oh, the doctor said she was going to let you know I was coming. Did she not?”

Hongbin sighed. “She probably phoned earlier,” he slithered over to where a phone was mounted on the wall. Sanghyuk watched him with wary interest, the movement sending a brief thrill through him; he was never very fond of snakes. Hongbin pressed a few buttons on the phone and nodded, showing Wonshik the phone, “yeah, she did. I was out and you were asleep, no wonder we didn’t get it.”

“Ah,” Wonshik gave him an apologetic grin, “sorry. You too, kid. If I had known you were coming I wouldn’t have had the reptile answer the door.”

Hongbin looked unimpressed by the title, but moved towards the stairs, phone in hand.

“I’ll let the others know,” he said, “take your time.”

With an amount of grace Sanghyuk hadn’t known was possible with naga’s, Hongbin slipped up the stairs and disappeared.

“So,” Wonshik moved slowly towards the couch, “what’s your name, kid?”

“Sanghyuk. I’m Sanghyuk.”

“Nice to meet you, Sanghyuk,” Wonshik plopped onto the couch, “my name’s Wonshik.”

“I know that,” he replied, unsure if he was supposed to sit as well.

Wonshik laughed. “You’re cute,” his lofty expression turned more serious, “so how did a kid like you manage to get Bitten?”

That was the third time that day he’d been called cute, something Sanghyuk wanted to grumble about. Instead, he sat back on the couch and regarded the other werewolf.

“Is that something you can just ask? Isn’t it rude? And why didn’t you ask me to sit down with you? Are there some unspoken rules here or what?”

“Woah, woah,” Wonshik held up his hands, “I know that this is new but one at a time please,” Sanghyuk huffed, sinking back on the couch, face expectant, “first, no. Normally you don’t go up to someone and ask how they got changed, or what creature they are, but I’m pretty sure you didn’t come here just for some werewolf company. You need someone to guide you in the new and exciting world of ‘monsters’, so we gotta talk candidly. Second,” Wonshik leaned forward, “I’m trying not to overwhelm you. The wolf’s instincts and senses are a lot, at first. Sometimes they still are. I’ve been trying to keep some distance between us and let it calm down and get used to me.”

Sanghyuk’s nose wrinkled in confusion.

“But,” he started, “I haven’t been feeling any of those things.”

“Really?”

“Yeah! I mean, there was a moment earlier today when I got all growly, but that was it!”

Wonshik thought for a moment. “Your senses? What can you smell right now?”

“Uh,” he sniffed deeply, “house?”

“And your stomach, how’s it been feeling?”

“Not good,” Sanghyuk’s mind went back to this morning, “I threw up all I had and my stomach still hasn’t stopped complaining.”

Wonshik’s eyes darkened, making Sanghyuk stiffen.

“Wonshi -”

“They drugged you.”

It took a moment for Sanghyuk to register what the other werewolf had said. “What?!”

Wonshik sat back, letting out a deep sigh as he did. “They don’t do it nearly as much as they used to,” he ran a hand through his hair, “your change must have been bad. Bad enough that they would’ve resorted to giving you _wolfsbane_. Fuck, I just thought you were really well-adjusted.”

Sanghyuk’s mouth felt dry. He swallowed, hand unconsciously moving to rest on the collar.

“I,” he coughed, trying again, “how bad is this?”

“It’s not a problem but,” Wonshik gave him a small smile, “it’s gonna be an adjustment. I’m almost glad, only cause you have someone to help you out now instead of being thrown into the city, raw and sensitive. Sometimes I think the LCF just wants us to go moony so they have an excuse to lock us up...”

Sanghyuk was fairly certain he was in shock, because otherwise he’d be tearing up in frustration. _This_ was his life now. He was a werewolf, a Lycan; a creature feared by humans. His life was going to be monitored closely from now on, just to make sure he wasn’t going to go off and kill someone. Well, a human someone. No one cared if monsters killed each other. He hadn’t, when he had been human. Sanghyuk had been _drugged_ , thrown away by his family, and would now need to watch himself for the rest of his life.

He stared numbly at the couch cushions.

“Hey,” he looked up as Wonshik spoke, “you’re going to be okay, kid, you hear me.”

Sanghyuk didn’t really believe him, but it was nice to hear. He nodded once.

Wonshik smiled at him and it was so bright, so full of love, for some kid this guy had just met, that Sanghyuk felt the tears start to fall. He ducked his head, trying to hide them.

“Aw, pup,” the cushions dipped as Wonshik moved closer, “come here.”

Sanghyuk allowed himself to be embraced. The soft weight of the others arms wrapped around him, a soft hand carding through his hair, and he let the tears flow, safe.

Hongbin found them like that when he came downstairs. He didn’t want to interrupt the adorable scene before him just yet, so he grabbed the camera which sat on the desk in the kitchen and snapped a picture before he was ready to break them apart.

“Hey,” his voice was gentle, “the others are on their way.”

Sanghyuk sat back, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. There was a dark patch on Wonshik’s shirt from where he had buried his head. Wonshik picked at it, pouting down at it and standing.

“I’m going to go change. Sanghyuk, you’re welcome to use the bathroom to wash up in before they get here,” with that, Wonshik patted his head affectionately and went upstairs.

Hongbin went over and nudged the young werewolf up and towards the first floor bedroom, and the bathroom there.

“Don’t worry,” the naga said, “you’ll like the others. I know they’ll like you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/74/74FCD7A0-D4BD-4475-A916-6836056C5359/Presentation.Large/Red-banded-snake-with-head-lifted.jpg
> 
> just in case anyone was wondering what Hongbin's scaly bits look like~
> 
> also I'll give you a cookie if you can guess who the vampire was supposed to be  
> (I'm pretty sure he was terribly ooc so if anyone can guess i'll be pleasantly surprised)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanghyuk meets the guys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was right work has been heeeeeeeeell I apologize for the time it took for me to finish this  
> but yeah work has me on a crazy schedule and i gotta deal with assholes all day so i've been dead tired and wasn't able to right the first 2 weeks and then only got the chance to recently
> 
> Anyway enjoy~

The person that stared back at him from the mirror was almost unrecognizable to Sanghyuk. His face looked the same, but his hair was just a little too ruffled, too long for how it had been before he was Bitten. He was so dirty, cheeks hidden under a layer of grime and dried blood.

He was a mess.

Sanghyuk turned the tap on, intent on washing his face, but stopped at the sight of his hands, red with his blood. He shuddered, quickly pumping soap onto his palms and scrubbing vigorously. It wasn’t until the water ran clear that he stopped.

_No wonder no one talked to me,_ he thought, _if I looked like this._

At least his clothes were clean, even if he didn’t feel it. He’d probably need a full shower in order to feel more like himself; the wolfsbane needed to wear off too. Sanghyuk was still processing the fact that he had been drugged.

Hongbin had left a facecloth which he gratefully used, wiping his face and neck of the filth that lay there. When he finished he looked more normal, though his eyes were still a little puffy from his earlier crying session.

For a while, Sanghyuk had heard Wonshik moving around upstairs, but he had come back down and was now talking with Hongbin in a hushed tone. Probably about him.

Satisfied that he was clean enough for now, Sanghyuk turned his attention to the bathroom. Now, he wasn’t a nosy person (he liked to think), but it wouldn’t hurt to peek into the lives of the monsters who lived there. If they were anything like Wonshik then they were nothing like what he had thought monsters were supposed to be like.

Monsters didn’t live like normal, humans said. They lived in the dark, in poverty, because they didn’t care for cleanliness or acting like humans, not when they were among their own kind. Blood was supposed to feature heavily in their houses, seeing as most of them fed on humans as their primary food source, but the only blood here was from Sanghyuk himself.

The five creatures that inhabited the little building on Pergul Avenue didn’t have a lair or a dark hovel to prey on innocent humans; they had a home.

It was the little things that stood out to Sanghyuk. Not the large dresser he had passed as he was shown to the bathroom, nor the rumpled sheets on the bed where Wonshik had been sleeping. No, what showed him that the people here had made a place for themselves were the polaroid and professionally developed photographs stuck to the walls, the figurines and stuffed animals peeking out from under the bed or staring from atop the dresser, and the various different soaps and shampoos in the shower.

There were bright, fruity products (barely used), many generic, scentless ones (mostly empty), and, upon closer inspection of some of the bottles, soaps for scales and fur. Those were the only things that separated this place from a human home.

Loud footsteps startled him and he almost dropped the bottle he had been reading. They sounded like they were coming from outside, the door being unlocked and thrown open proving him right.

“We’re home,” a voice sang overtop the shuffling sound of shoes being removed. Either the walls were very thin or Sanghyuk’s hearing was sharpening.

“Welcome back,” Wonshik answered.

“How was it?” asked Hongbin.

“Good,” this was a different voice from the first, “it’s finally warm enough to swim!”

“Yeah! Hakyeon barely complained at all this time,” the first person spoke again. Sanghyuk heard a smack, followed by an indignant, “hey!”

“You, be quiet! And you,” Sanghyuk thought he heard Wonshik and Hongbin giggling to themselves, “don’t give me that look. I know you’re fine with whatever temperature, Taekwoon, but I can’t go swimming in a frozen lake!”

Sanghyuk guessed that all three of the others had returned home then, even if he had only heard two of them speak.

“Anyways,” the voice belonging to Hakyeon started, “where is he?”

“Bathroom, cleaning himself up,” Hongbin paused, “he looked pretty bad, Hakyeon.”

“Wonshik?”

“Yeah,” Wonshik replied with a sigh, “yeah he did. He’s _so_ new, like, I’m almost certain he was Bitten a few days ago, when the new cycle started. That’s how bad.”

“That new, and he’s already out?” Hakyeon gasped. There was silence, and Sanghyuk pictured Wonshik rubbing his face.

“They,” Wonshik sounded tired, “the LCF. They gave him wolfsbane. The kid hasn’t even recovered from it yet, and they let him out into the city! He brought his bag, he’s covered in his own blood, and he came _here_. I - I’m pretty sure he can’t go back to his family.”

“ _How dare they_ ,” Hakyeon’s voice rose from it’s gentle amiability to something angry, “they just _expect_ him to be able to get by!? In this world? How dare they. How fucking dare they!”

“Hakyeon... Be angry later,” there was a soft sound, like Wonshik had patted Hakyeon on the shoulder, “right now we’re all the pup’s got.”

There was a long exhale, not quite a sigh, and Hakyeon must have nodded because Wonshik continued.

“Alright. You four stay here - and don’t crowd him! The wolfsbane’s probably started to wear off and the wolf could get threatened. Give him space. Especially you, Hakyeon.”

The others murmured their agreement and Sanghyuk heard Wonshik enter the bedroom and cross to the closed bathroom door. There was a knock.

“Sanghyuk, the others are here,” Wonshik’s voice was calm, “you finished up?”

“Yeah,” he set the shampoo down and opened the door, the best smile he could manage on his face, “I’m good to go.”

Wonshik looked him over and, after a moment, leaned in close to sniff deeply. Sanghyuk was a little startled, but maybe the drug really was wearing off, because something in his chest settled down, content with the presence of the other werewolf.

“You don’t smell so bad anymore,” Wonshik told him, “but why didn’t you have a shower? You were allowed to.”

“I - I wasn’t sure. I’ll have one later, if I can?”

“Course,” Wonshik answered with a grin, “it’ll be uncomfortable for you to sleep all dirty and I don’t think my nose would appreciate it either.”

Sanghyuk gently shoved him, offended.

“Sorry, sorry,” the werewolf laughed, but held up a finger, “now, before we go out I’ve gotta give you a little heads up about the others. I would’ve warned you about Hongbin’s scaly bits but you met him first, so that ship’s already sailed. Now,” he smiled reassuringly, “Hakyeon’s a hugger, but he’ll hold back and wait for your permission. Jaehwan, on the other hand, will probably try to scare you. Don’t give him much of a reaction and he won’t bother you much since it’s no fun,” Sanghyuk wrinkled his nose in confusion but Wonshik just laughed him off, “I don’t want to ruin his surprise, pup. Just wait and see for yourself. Lastly, Taekwoon. He looks kinda grouchy and doesn’t really talk, so don’t mind him. He takes a while to open up and you’ve gotta learn how to read him. Hakyeon’ll help you cuz he’s the most fluent in speaking Taekwoon.”

That didn’t exactly comfort Sanghyuk, who had never interacted with a monster before his abrupt induction to the species and was about to go out and be among five of them. But, he wanted to trust Wonshik (was more than half-way there already), so he swallowed down his fear and nodded.

“ ‘kay. I think I’m ready.”

Wonshik tucked him under his arm and began leading him out of the first-floor bedroom. The door loomed before them, Sanghyuk watched with a roiling stomach as Wonshik’s hand reached for the doorknob.

It opened with a click, and Sanghyuk hadn’t realized just how much the others had been talking until they fell silent. Everyone, including himself, held their breath as he and Wonshik stepped out from the bedroom.

Hongbin was the first one he noticed - the only familiar face present - his black and red striped tail curved comfortable around the naked feet of... a man. He looked normal enough, but there was something just a little _off_ about him to Sanghyuk. The guy wasn’t pale per se, but his skin lacked the natural flush of life that people only noticed when it was gone. His legs too, bare from the knee down, looked weird.

_Were those stitches?_

Sanghyuk opened his mouth to, do something, probably to blurt out a close-minded and so very human comment, when movement to his left made him jump.

Another man took a step forward from the kitchen doorway opposite the stairs, his face smoothed into a calm expression and hands loosely by his sides. He was shadowed by someone else, taller and much more threatening looking than anyone else Sanghyuk had met today. He was reminded briefly of the vampire from earlier, even though the two looked nothing alike; they carried themselves similarly, watchful and ready to act at a moments notice.

He made to step back, but Wonshik’s solid body prevented him from going any further. Sanghyuk found himself trembling, eyes unable to look away from the stranger but wanting to with every fiber of his being. It was as if he was being glamoured, but vampires weren’t able to do this, not without direct eye contact. Sanghyuk, frozen as he was, was only looking at the others’ chin. This was the strongest magic he had ever felt.

“You’re scaring him.”

Wonshik’s stern words had Sanghyuk dropping his gaze to the floor, but his body was still rooted in place. A small whine crawled up his throat as he pushed back into the other werewolf.

“ _Taekwoon_ ,” Hakyeon’s voice, Sanghyuk thought absently, “stop it!”

There was silence for a moment, then the soft sound of clothed flesh being hit. The magical weight compelling Sanghyuk to stay in place abruptly vanished and he let out a shaky breath, peeking up at the scene in front of him.

Hakyeon (he assumed it was Hakyeon) had twisted around and was glowering at Taekwoon. There was some sort of communication happening though the two were completely silent. Finally, Hakyeon sighed and gently shoved the taller mans chest.

“Nicely,” he said, “everyone plays _nice_. Yeah, Taekwoon?”

No words came from Taekwoon, but he took a step back and leant against the wall, looking more like a scolded kid than the dangerous creature from moments ago.

“Now,” Hakyeon turned back and clapped his hands, a bright grin on his face, “Sanghyuk, right? I’m Hakyeon!”

Sanghyuk nodded, forcing his lips to curve into a small smile, focusing his attention on Hakyeon, though his eyes flitted to Taekwoon’s still form every so often.

“Nice to meet you.”

“You already know Wonshik and Hongbin of course, and Mr. Grumpy Taekwoon himself,” Hakyeon gestured widely to the room, “so the only one to introduce you to know is -”

“I’m Ken,” the man who had been standing with Hongbin shouted, flouncing over to lean on Hakyeon.

“Jaehwan -” Hakyeon began, exasperated, but was quickly interrupted.

“Fran - KEN - stein!”

There was a collective groan from everyone, Hongbin putting his head in his hands. Hakyeon pulled a disgusted face.

“Must you do that _every_ time?”

“What? It’s the truth!”

“Jaehwan,” Hakyeon started, “ _Frankenstein_ was a fictional story about a horribly oppressed monster that is in no way accurate to you -”

“Do everyone a favour and shut your pretty mouth,” Jaehwan emphasized this by physically covering Hakyeon’s mouth, “it makes for a wonderful pun and you cannot stop me!”

Hakyeon batted at the hand on his face but Jaehwan held firm, expression expectant until Hakyeon rolled his eyes and nodded.

“Fine,” his voice muffled by the hand, which was removed at the concession, “this is Jaehwan _slash_ Ken, the resident trouble _and_ pun maker.”

“Yes,” the man in question looked quite pleased by the titles. He waved at Sanghyuk, “nice to meet you Sanghyukkie~”

Sanghyuk nodded in reply, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Jaehwan was a bit odd, but he seemed nice enough, and wasn’t trying to actively magic Sanghyuk like Taekwoon had. The frankenstein thing explained the oddness of Jaehwan’s appearance at least; he was undead, hence the pallor of his skin and the stitches visible on his leg were probably from where he had been put together.

It was a little weird, Sanghyuk had to admit, to be talking to someone who was, for all intents and purposes, dead, reanimated and maintained through magic alone. The practice of bringing a corpse back to ‘life’ was considered highly unethical and had been outlawed by the government for centuries. The law was highly enforced, the casters often spending upwards of forty years in prison, the creations destroyed.

Jaehwan was probably a lot older than he looked.

“It’s good to meet you as well,” Sanghyuk looked over his shoulder at the werewolf still stood behind him, “has Wonshik told you about...?”

“Your situation,” Hakyeon continued, “yes, he has. Wonshik?”

“Ah, yeah,” the man cleared his throat, stepping away from his protective position behind Sanghyuk, “I know it’s not ideal, but you’re more than welcome to stay here with us. I think it would be best,” he added. Sanghyuk thought back to their conversation about instincts.

“I’ve got nowhere else to go, so yeah. If you’ll have me,” he tried to swallow past the lump in his throat, “I could really use the help, you know?”

Hakyeon ‘awed’ softly, taking a small step forward, palms up. Sanghyuk remembered Wonshik mentioning that Hakyeon was a hugger, his current posture confirming it even if he was tentative and seemed to be asking for permission. Sanghyuk beckoned the man over with a nod and let the warm arms engulf him.

Hakyeon was a good hugger, he found, shoulders relaxing minutely in the embrace.

Sanghyuk felt someone staring and looked into the heavy gaze of Taekwoon, whose attention was once again one hundred percent focused on the new werewolf. He tried to give the man a friendly smile, but Taekwoon’s eyes just narrowed before he turned on his heel and disappeared into the kitchen.

Sighing, Sanghyuk sank further into Hakyeon’s hug and tried not to think of the mysterious creatures’ reaction. Jaehwan soon joined the hug, Hongbin and Wonshik laughing as the three of them stumbled together thanks to the enthusiasm of the undead man.

He had some sort of plan now, a group of monsters that almost completely accepted Sanghyuk into their midsts, and everything would be... manageable at least.

Even if Taekwoon seemed to dislike him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakyeon worries and Sanghyuk gets shown around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello! I have returned!  
> I apologize for the wait but work has been hell and I was waiting for it to calm down before I took the time to sit down and write! Work is still crazy and doesn't look like it's gonna work itself out anytime soon so I just said fuck it and wrote.
> 
> The chapter starts out from Hakyeon's perspective and then goes back to Hyukkie's
> 
> As always, if you see anything glaringly bad about this feel free to let me know! or if you enjoy it also let me know  
> I live for comments
> 
> Enjoy!

Hakyeon deposited Sanghyuk on the couch with Wonshik, the young werewolf burying his nose in the neck of the older. This was something Hakyeon had seen Wonshik do many times, usually after a long day at work or a particularly rough Change; the wolf instinctually seeking out the the comforting scent of a pack member.

He smiled, remembering the many times he had been on the receiving end of Wonshik’s scenting.

Sanghyuk was probably going to crash soon, Hakyeon noted, the pups eyes drooping just as much as his limbs. It was to be expected; he had had one _hell_ of a day, after all. Rage twisted hotly in Hakyeon’s stomach, the smile dropping from his lips.

Was that truly the state of things? Your child is _Bitten_ , has to go through the first of a _lifetime_ of Changes, and you _abandon them?!_

Hakyeon guessed Sanghyuk’s parents couldn’t handle the thought of having a _monster_ in the family. The poor kid.

Wonshik glanced up from patting Sanghyuk’s back and shot Hakyeon a questioning look at the expression on his face. He quickly schooled it into something less murderous.

“Tour?” Hakyeon mouthed, gesturing to the ceiling and the rooms above.

Wonshik nodded and began pulling Sanghyuk from his scent-drunk haze.

“Hey pup,” the werewolf started, “I’m gonna show you around, yeah? Then maybe you can get some sleep?”

Wonshik could handle it from here, so Hakyeon made his way to the kitchen to have a talk with a certain Mr. Grumpy. Poking his head into the kitchen, he found Jaehwan perched on the counter, nattering on about how cute young werewolves were to Taekwoon (who was ignoring the undead man as usual). Jaehwan and Hongbin had wandered off at some point during the hug session, the naga’s face scrunched up in a way that was worrying.

Hakyeon knocked on the wall, Taekwoon glancing up at him before bringing his attention back to whatever he was cooking, while Jaehwan hopped down from his seat and grinned widely.

“Mother,” he greeted jokingly. Hakyeon scowled but didn’t otherwise respond to the nickname; there were more important things right now.

“Jaehwan, do you know where Hongbin is?”

“Taking out the garbage.”

“For,” Hakyeon checked the wall clock, “ten minutes?”

Jaehwan just shrugged, picking absently at the stitches on his neck. Hakyeon had to resist the urge to smack his hands away.

“Jaehwan,” he sighed, “can you check on him, please?”

From the expression on his face, Hakyeon could tell the undead man wanted to argue, so before he had the chance to open his mouth, Hakyeon shot a meaningful look at the silent Taekwoon. Jaehwan immediately stilled.

“Yessir,” he mock-saluted, “I will bring home our wandering naga!”

Hakyeon watched him bounce off, waving to the werewolves as he passed them on their way up the stairs. That taken care of, he turned his attention to Taekwoon, who impassively looked up at him and stirred the contents of the pot.

“Taekwoon,” Hakyeon’s voice hardened, “we need to talk about what you did.”

The only sounds in the kitchen were the gentle stirring of the pot and the footsteps from the floor above.

“Taekwoon, what the fuck! The kid was scared out of his mind by your - your Persuasion! He’s traumatized enough without _you_ interfering! I just can’t-”

“He’s new,” the soft voice interrupted.

“I-” Hakyeon floundered for a moment, “yes? He’s just a kid - a pup now! I know that, what do you-”

“He’s new,” Taekwoon repeated, turning the stove off, “he’s not like Wonshik.”

“Yes,” Hakyeon said slowly, “I know that, too. What are you,” he cocked his head to get a better look at Taekwoon’s carefully blank face, “are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

There was laughter from upstairs; Wonshik.

“Taekwoon?”

“I’ve known many were’s,” Taekwoon started, pouring the contents of the pot into two waiting bowls, “our Wonshik has the most control of his wolf I’ve ever seen. He’s had two decades of practice, Sanghyuk has had _hours_.”

Hakyeon stared at Taekwoon as he dug a pair of spoons out of the utensil drawer, stuck them in the bowls, and gently pushed them into Hakyeon’s waiting hands.

“Taekwoon,” Hakyeon’s fingers tightened around the smooth sides of the dishes, face softening, “Taekwoon, thank you. I get it now, I do. So... thank you, really.”

The expression on Taekwoon’s face shifted minutely, and Hakyeon broke into a huge grin.

“You’re still going to have to apologize to Sanghyuk, though.”

 

* * *

 

 

The sheets were soft under his hands, though the mattress left much to be desired, comfort-wise, Sanghyuk thought.

The top floor of the building was different from the one below. The upper floor had obviously been intended for storage, but had been converted into three bedrooms by the use of thin, foldable walls. The only room that was properly walled was the bathroom, which matched the one downstairs except for the absence of a bathtub/shower.

Wonshik had walked him up the stairs and pointed out the rooms, allowing Sanghyuk to poke his head in each and take a look. The room next to the bathroom and stretching from there to in front of the stairs belonged to Hakyeon, but the large wardrobe in the room was for everyone to share. When he had asked why Hakyeon had the largest room, Wonshik had shrugged and told him it was partly because he and Taekwoon had been the first to move in, and because Hakyeon was probably the most ‘responsible’ of the five of them.

“Like a Mom,” Wonshik had grinned.

Across the makeshift ‘hall’, closest to the stairs, was Hongbin’s room. It was very tidy, as the living room had been, leading Sanghyuk to believe it was Hongbin who was in charge of chores. There was a small desk in the corner, half-way under the open window, allowing a light breeze to blow through the room and bring with it the soft fragrancy of the flowers in the box attached to the window.

The final room was, of course, Wonshik’s.

“And yours, too, Sanghyuk,” the older werewolf pushed open the part of the fake-wall acting as the door, “if you’re okay with that.”

The room contained a single bed pushed against the walls and under the window, late-afternoon light streaming through past the shadow of the building. It smelt like Wonshik, Sanghyuk realized, a smell he was quickly starting to relate to comfort.

He sat heavily on the bed, rubbing the sheets between his fingers.

“I think I’m okay with that,” Sanghyuk said quietly, glancing up at Wonshik sleepily.

The other werewolf smiled, coming to sit beside him on the bed; not too close to be uncomfortable, but not too far away to be awkward.

“Great! We can find you a mattress and sheets tomorrow, but for tonight you can sleep on the bed and I’ll dig up our spare blankets and sleeping bags - no,” Wonshik stopped him before he could protest about being given the bed, “you’re gonna need a nice, long sleep, not in a pile of blankets that smell like dust. Gotta get you used to my scent so your wolf’ll be comfortable here.”

Sanghyuk wanted to tell him that he was already getting used to the other wolf’s scent, but was interrupted by a soft rapping on the fake-wall. He jumped, fingers curling into the sheets, but it was only Hakyeon, looking concerned and holding two steaming bowls.

“Sorry,” Hakyeon took a step into the room as Wonshik laid a calming hand on Sanghyuk’s shoulder, “didn’t mean to startle you.”

Taking a deep breath, Sanghyuk worked on unclenching his fists.

“It’s okay. Sorry I’m so jumpy,” he smiled sheepishly at Hakyeon, who tutted.

“There’s absolutely no need for you to apologize. You shouldn’t have to apologize for anyth-” he stopped himself, shaking his head, “never mind that. Here,” he held out the bowls.

Wonshik took one eagerly, a huge grin spreading across his face as he sniffed it.

“Oh man,” he exclaimed, turning to Sanghyuk, “go ahead, pup. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it!”

Sanghyuk took the offered bowl hesitantly, sniffing at it like he had seen Wonshik do, but he didn’t smell much other than simple beef broth. He looked at him questioningly, not understanding.

“It’s... broth?”

“Mmhmm,” Wonshik mumbled around his spoon, Hakyeon looking on in disappointment at his manners, “it’s peeeerfect.”

“What he means to say,” Hakyeon explains, “is that it’s a special meal for after full moons, when werewolves’ senses are heightened and over-stimulated. It calms the stomach and provides nutrition.”

Wonshik made an odd sound, one that took Sanghyuk a moment to identify as a gentle ‘woof’, as he happily spooned broth into his mouth. The sight brought a small smile to Sanghyuk’s face. The smell of the broth was subtle, but it wasn’t making his stomach roil at the thought of eating it, so he brought the spoon to his mouth and sipped at it thoughtfully.

Almost immediately, Sanghyuk felt better, the broth doing just as Hakyeon had said, and he proceeded to eat with enthusiasm.

“Careful now,” Hakyeon warned with a laugh, “don’t make yourself sick.”

Sanghyuk nodded, slowing down just a little.

“Thank you, Hakyeon,” he said after he was done, the other man taking the bowls from him and Wonshik, “I-I don’t know how to repay you for taking me in, a-and feeding me.”

“No need to thank me,” Hakyeon shook his head, sadness tinting his gentle smile, “this world is hard enough without people refusing to help someone in need. The rest of us will be up for a while yet, since we don’t go through a monthly Change that exhausts us, but if you need anything don’t hesitate to ask, alright?”

Sanghyuk nodded, feeling the weight of the day on his shoulders and knowing he would welcome sleep. Wonshik patted him on the head and inclined his head to Hakyeon, who moved to the door, bowls in hand, before hesitating.

“Oh, and _Taekwoon_ made the broth, not me,” Hakyeon said, taking in Sanghyuk’s surprised expression, “it’s something he does every month for Wonshik, but this is his way of apologizing for scaring you earlier,” Sanghyuk looked down at his knees, “I know it seemed like he was angry, but he was just scared - not of you, pup, don’t worry. I forget that werewolves can be dangerous, especially new ones in a room full of strangers. Taekwoon... he’s protective, and didn’t want anyone to get hurt. He understands now, though, so.”

Hakyeon stood at the door for a moment, watching Sanghyuk’s reaction.

“Just thought I’d let you know, Sanghyuk, and apologize on his behalf. Goodnight, you two.”

With that, he left, pushing the entrance closed to leave the werewolves in privacy. When he didn’t move, Wonshik nudged Sanghyuk with his elbow, forcing him to look up.

“You good, pup?”

Sanghyuk bit his lip, thinking. Today had been... a day from hell if he was to be honest. His life had taken a complete 180 and he had been abandoned; not just by his family but from all of human society as well. He had been scared of basically everything and everyone he came in contact with today but, in the end, he had somewhere to stay for the foreseeable future, and the beginnings of a friendship with another werewolf.

Today could have gone a lot worse.

He gave Wonshik a reassuring smile and nodded.

“Yeah, I think I’m good.”

“Good. But,” the werewolf wrinkled his nose, “you’re still gonna have that shower. You smell, pup.”

Wonshik laughed when Sanghyuk pushed him off the bed, the biggest smile he’d seen on the new werewolf’s face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://thekingdomofangst.tumblr.com/post/133843457838/more
> 
> it's hard to visualize the floors the boys live on so I keep a sketch with me whenever I write them at home so here's a cleaned-up version just in case anyone was confused!


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